Dr. Cesar Santos
Professor and Chief, Division of Pediatric Neurology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine
Over the course of his 30-year career as a pediatric neurologist, Dr. Cesar Santos became well-recognized for his medical expertise and teaching abilities. As a professor and chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, he accrued several awards, including Teacher of the Year for 2011-12. He also ranked among America’s Top Doctors each year from 2010 to 2015.
But in 2016, Dr. Santos felt it was time to move on to a new challenge.
“I had narrowed my search to four places,” he said. “Valley Children’s was the first place I went, and it was clearly different. I knew it was the place for me and canceled the rest of my interviews.”
Great potential
In Valley Children’s, Dr. Santos saw immense quality and potential, and recognized an opportunity to further develop the hospital’s neuroscience program, including their epilepsy center.
“I reached out to referring physicians and used their feedback to shape our program’s goals,” he said.
The neuroscience department soon adopted these three goals:
- Triage referrals to ensure patients are getting the right care at the right time.
- Provide truly comprehensive neuroscience capabilities.
- Continue to build areas of subspecialty and adopt new technologies.
Since these goals were determined, Valley Children’s has made great strides in achieving them, including referral guideline education for referring providers, achieving national recognition as a Level 4 epilepsy center and as a best children’s hospital in Neurology & Neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report, and advancing the use of robotic technology in surgery, leading to reduced operating time and eliminating the need for some invasive procedures.
Under Dr. Santos’ leadership, Valley Children’s Epilepsy Center continues to innovate and provide the highest level of care for pediatric patients in California’s Central Valley.